Washington Saturday 16: President Barack Obama decided to name Jon Hunstman, current Governor of Utah as the new U.S. ambassador to China. This important role in foreign relations with China and the whole eastern Asia has been long sought by the Utah Governor, and friends say he’s thrilled that Obama nailed it to him. Most interesting is that Huntsman was the second figure in the election campaign of John McCain. He said he “never expected to be called by the person who beat us”,  but that he “humbly accepts” the offer.

I can think of no one better suited to take on this assignment than the governor of the great state of Utah, Jon Huntsman,” President Barack Obama said in his distinctive style. He added  “I hope the people of Utah will forgive me and understand how proud the nation is for their governor’s willingness to answer his nation’s.

Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. (born March 26, 1960 in Palo Alto, California) is the governor of the state of Utah, having first won the office in 2004. His first term as the 16th governor of Utah began on January 3, 2005. He was re-elected, with running-mate Gary R. Herbert, on November 4, 2008, with over 77% of the vote.

Somewhat little know facts about Jon Huntsman: he is is the son of billionaire businessman and philanthropist Jon Huntsman of Huntsman Corporation. During high school, he dropped out of school for a while dreaming to become a rock star, and joined a rock`n`roll band. However, he later on went to the University of Utah, where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Huntsmans speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese, which he practiced in an LDS mission in Taiwan. The main traits of his political career are:  White House staff assistant in the Reagan Administration, U.S. Ambassador to Singapore in the administration of President George H.W. Bush and a deputy United States trade representative in the George W. Bush Administration.  Jon Hunstman has an adopted Chinese daughter.

Huntsman planned a news conference for Monday with Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert to discuss the transition. We, unfortunately, have no further info at the point as Obama and Huntsman answered no questions on the brief declaration on Saturday.

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